Thermodynamic Performance Limits of the Vapor Compression Cycle

Published

January 19, 2014

Author(s)

Piotr A. Domanski, J S. Brown, Jae H. Heo, Mark O. McLinden

Abstract

This presentation discusses the thermodynamic performance limits of the vapor compression cycle. We have applied evolutionary algorithms to explore the performance of hypothetical refrigerants defined by the thermodynamic parameters used by the extended corresponding states model for fluid properties. We identified optimal values of these parameters required to reach the performance limits. The study confirmed the fundamental trade-off between the coefficient of performance (COP) and volumetric capacity, and indicated refrigerant critical temperature as the dominant parameter influencing the tradeoff. Thermodynamic performance limits depend on the operating conditions and the cycle design. These limits are represented by Pareto fronts developed for the objective functions COP and volumetric capacity. As expected, the performance of current refrigerants falls below the Pareto front limits. We demonstrate that for practical cycles the developed methodology and resulting Pareto fronts are more realistic benchmarks for the performance potentials of refrigerants than is COP alone, which is an efficiency only metric.

Proceedings Title

2014 ASHRAE Winter Conference

Conference Dates

January 18-22, 2014

Conference Location

New York, NY

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

coefficient of performance, refrigeration, refrigerants, vapor compression cycle

Citation

Domanski, P. , Brown, J. , Heo, J. and McLinden, M. (2014), Thermodynamic Performance Limits of the Vapor Compression Cycle, 2014 ASHRAE Winter Conference, New York, NY (Accessed January 4, 2026)